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Ma Huang: Effective Diet Aid or Deadly Killer?
Also known as Ephedra, Ma Huang has been a staple of Chinese medical practitioners since ancient times. Once a key ingredients in countless over the counter weight loss formulas, herbals remedies and teas, it was banned by the FDA in 2004, and again in 2007 after being re-evaluated. Many consumers object to this action, however, claiming that Ma Huang enabled them to lose weight rapidly and safely. This article will look at all sides of the issue, giving the reader the facts he or she needs to judge for themselves which side is right.
A Short History Lesson
Ma Huang, or Ephedra, has been used in China for thousands of years to treat asthma, hay fever and the common cold. It’s also native to the United States. Mormon pioneers brewed a tea from it that they consumed regularly for its energy-producing effects on the body. This concoction was known as “Mormon tea,” and was also regularly used by Native Americans.
In the 1990s a number of nutritional firms began touting the active ingredient in the Ephedra plant as a safe and effective weight loss aid. Sales of supplements containing the compound took off, and testimonials poured in from users who enjoyed the way it enhanced their weight loss efforts while also making them feel alert and refreshed.
Concerns began to rise in the year 2000, when the New England Journal of Medicine published a study describing a number of deaths and internal injuries caused by taking the drug. These reports received national attention in 2003, when Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler died from heatstroke complications after training early in the year. Doctors did a toxicology screening on him, and afterwards cited his use of Ephedra as a major cause of his death.
Not Everyone Agrees
Several individuals and groups, including diet consultants and producers of nutritional supplements, strongly opposed the decision by the FDA, saying that Ephedra is safe and effective when properly used. They point to its long-honored use as a medicinal herb, and propose that it should still be marketed in the United States, with appropriate warnings on containers advising consumers to take it only as recommended.
Others disagree. They say that many of the deaths and injuries occurred even in persons who stayed within the dosage guidelines. To date this has been the prevailing opinion among government regulators and mainstream heath researchers.
Why Do I Still See Ephedra for Sale?
Because of loopholes in FDA regulations that allow certain forms of Ephedra or ma huang to be sold, provided they are not part of any compound marketed for weight loss purposes. These supplements can be readily found online, as well as in some health food and nutritional shops.
So what’s the bottom line?
Ma Huang MIGHT help you lose weight. However, with its history of adverse effects, it should either be avoided or used with extreme caution.
The following groups of people should not take Ma Huang:
- Diabetics
- Those with high blood pressure
- Heart patients
- Persons trying to raise their body temperature to achieve weight loss
- Athletes or anyone who frequently engages in strenuous physical activity
- People with glaucoma or other serious physical conditions
Any questions about the safety or effectiveness of Ma Huang should be directed to your health care professional.